Washington (CNN) - Vice President Biden on Friday fired back at criticism from his predecessor, former Vice President Cheney, that President Obama is "dithering" over his decision about whether to send up to 40,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan.

"I like Dick Cheney personally but I really don't care what Dick Cheney thinks and I'm not sure a lot of Americans do," Biden said in an exclusive interview with CNN. "Look at the policy they left us, look at the policy of neglect they left us in Afghanistan, look at the policy we inherited in terms of their foreign policy...I think the President is doing exactly what any president should do."

October has turned out to be the deadliest month of the war so far, and Biden said the president needs the appropriate time to get the strategy right. He said the situation on the ground has changed because the Taliban is "taking advantage of a chaotic election process that took place in Afghanistan."

Biden added, "Any thoughtful president should be sitting down saying, 'Okay what is the strategy we have to employ with these changed circumstances?' And then look at the tactic that will best accomplish that. The President has great faith in the military."

soundoff(336 Responses)

Biden clueless - like his boss

Obama has been in office almost a year and he is just now sitting down to think about Afghan strategy while he has let American troops fight and die for a year? This is Clueless and reckless behavior wreakig of inexperience, indecision, and in trouble. We would be in better shape if perhaps Obama did not run off to campaign and raise funds for every Dem that is gonna get booted out of office in the mid terms - or run around pushing the olympics in Amsterdam - or getting involved in race relations involving the arrest of a friend in Cambridge, or spend all day giving speeches around the country on health care reform legislation that did not even exist at the time, and then letting the legislation be drafted behind closed doors by Pelosi and Reid.

President Oblamo and Biden are hoping they can get through their entire first term blaming Bush and Cheney for everything.

Mr Obama Mr Biden – if you have nothing to offer other than blaming Bush and Cheney for everything, then please resign.

And Mr Biden I daresay that far more Americans care about what former Vice President Cheney has to say than either you or Oblamo. It is one and done for the Blame Twins

October 30, 2009 03:51 pm at 3:51 pm |

No More Dick

I am really happy we finally got a real VP in office. I was tired of getting Dicked.

October 30, 2009 03:51 pm at 3:51 pm |

Paul/ElPaso

Dick Cheney is a forgotten moron.

October 30, 2009 03:51 pm at 3:51 pm |

unshrub

I can understand why republicans think Obama is taking too long to reach a decision. Bush only used the facts that would support his ideology. Unfortunately, that turned out to be a big disaster. Obama is studying the facts and making a deliberate, intelligent decision. Most of the complaints republicans give about Obama indicates that they too are not looking at the facts, but instead are letting their ideology rule their brains.

October 30, 2009 03:52 pm at 3:52 pm |

Nick

It is at least interesting how the media seems to forget that President Obama with some fan faire announced a new strategy in Afghanistan back in March. So Obama puts in a new strategy and when it does not work its Bush's fault. These guys need to man up take responsibility for their governing and quit whining about the Bush administration. Quit telling me how the Bush administration messed up you got the reins you've had control over policy in afghanistan since January, you've got the recommendations from your general which you put in place when you implemented your new strategy in March,make a decision. Quit whining (afterall you wanted this job because your ideas and ways would be so much better) and do your daggum job. Eventually the idea of deflecting every critical evaluation of the administration with "Bush messed it up!" is going to wear thin, I am shocked they are still getting away with it personally. This whining is getting old.

October 30, 2009 03:52 pm at 3:52 pm |

Jessie

Dan October 30th, 2009 2:51 pm ET

The truth of the matter is that the current situation in Afghanistan is the result of 10 months of neglect. Now stop pointing fingers and take care of business.
*******************************
10 months of neglect? That's it? WOW. I guess we were going after al Qaeda full force for the past 8 years, heh?

October 30, 2009 03:52 pm at 3:52 pm |

Lexie

What a mess the Republican Party has become. Not the party mom and pop once supported. Sad.

October 30, 2009 03:52 pm at 3:52 pm |

Bethie

Nobody gives a crap what Cheney thinks.

October 30, 2009 03:53 pm at 3:53 pm |

methuselah

VP Biden likes Dick Cheney personally...that's pretty pathetic. It explains much of the water cooler behavior in D.C. They should be locking Dick Cheney up for war crimes and instead are musing about the difference between their personal like for this scum and whether they agree with his thoughts. It is a sad indictment on the new VP idiot, Biden. It is an even worse tragedy for American progress and some restoration of our integrity after 8 years of gross violations of our values.

October 30, 2009 03:53 pm at 3:53 pm |

unshrub

Beverly in NC:

You make a lot of sense. Good work.

October 30, 2009 03:53 pm at 3:53 pm |

Anonymous

Anyone who care what Dick Cheney says is either stupid, ignorant, or a loyal fan of Rush and Glenn.

October 30, 2009 03:53 pm at 3:53 pm |

Joseph K.

Yes sir. He is not worthy of your time, thank goodness he is gone. What a mess he left for you. Champ, stand up you can do it.

October 30, 2009 03:54 pm at 3:54 pm |

REG in Az

Regardless of political preferences, regardless of personal biases, prejudices and emotional attachments, most everyone would prefer our politicians to honestly and effectively be sincere in concentrating on what is best for the people – not just for some of the people but rather for all of the people. Most, when rational and objective, totally understand that it calls for conscientious, unselfish and sincere negotiation, requiring some give-and-take and with the results being compromises that aren’t weighted solely for political or personal benefit, and especially not for Special Interests’, no matter how much support they give the politicians. What has to be seen is that can only be done when extremes are drastically softened and moderation is the rule, with something more centrist being the only logical possibility. To accomplish that people need to understand that they must control the politicians and not just let the politicians control or simply manipulate public opinion for their own purposes. Without dwelling on it but just to remind of the clear and regrettable example of how completely Bush-Cheney, with the stubborn and irresponsibly arrogant total support of the Republican Party, were able to use deceptive manipulation that literally cost all of us so much – “more of the same’ should never be acceptable. We now really need to correct the flagrant abuses implemented that allowed for the considerable benefit of just the few and instead make significant progress back towards the middle, otherwise we will keep sliding down to disaster (which isn’t far away).

Currently we see contentious and aggressive debate stubbornly offered to sway (manipulate) public opinion in the disputes over achieving success in Afghanistan and Iraq, in rescuing our finances and with Health Care reform, all with belligerent finger pointing and without any concessions. These are very complex and important issues that stand to greatly impact each of us, future generations and even the world for some time to come. Neither side is perfect or without fault and neither is pure in not trying to manipulate public opinion. The first thing that is absolutely necessary is to be cynical about anything they say, judging what it does for them and for the Special Interests who support them, judging how much hype and deception versus fact their positions represent and then judging their history and what that says versus their currently offered rhetoric. They should all be held to compromise and to be honest and conscientious with the people’s interests sincerely foremost on their minds. Wherever, and there are many obvious cases to be seen, it is determined that their positions are solely for their own interests or those of the few, with their stated positions being to block/obstruct progress, refuse compromise, focus on faulting their opponents and/or just offering subterfuge to manipulate the people, then they should be advised that their deception and irresponsibility is recognized and will result in their being rejected at the polls. Otherwise the people are co-responsible in failing to make any progress and just ending up with ‘more of the same’.

October 30, 2009 03:55 pm at 3:55 pm |

Kelly

Beverly in NC ............Osama bin Laden is not a member of the Saudi Royal Family. He is an ousted member of the Bin Laden family. When ranting, get your facts straight. This is one of many mistakes in your rant.

Joe Biden is a joke, BTW.

October 30, 2009 03:55 pm at 3:55 pm |

hampster4361

Most people who would care what Cheney says is one of the following; stupid, ignorant, or a loyal fan of Rush and Glenn.

October 30, 2009 03:56 pm at 3:56 pm |

Jingle

J.P - I want to believe that you are a conservative illiterate. You are a disgrace to conservatives.

October 30, 2009 03:56 pm at 3:56 pm |

Baby Boomer

I totally agree with the Vice President. I could care less what Dick Cheney thinks at this point. He is out of office thank GOD. However, I do care what the current Vice President thinks. He IS in office and what's more, he has the President's ear.

Those of you who say you don't care probably need to wake up. Too bad we didn't 8 years earlier. Or at the very least 4 years earlier. Could have saved ourselves what will likely be 20 to 30 years pulling out of this mess we are in. Thanks Bush and Cheney...

October 30, 2009 03:57 pm at 3:57 pm |

Abu Bhuiyan

Joe,

This is a great reply for Dick. I don't understand what Dick is talking about. Thanks.

October 30, 2009 03:58 pm at 3:58 pm |

Robert Erikson

Giggles that Biden doesn't "care what Dick Cheny thinks" but he's wrong about the rest of America. Indeed, he's lucky that we no longer elect VPs separately. Harping on what the current administration "inherited" is so much smoke ...how does he explain the simultaneous story that we just suffered the worst one-day loss of our troops in Afganistan since entering there? Is O'bama's delay in making a decision really costless? Wait until we get another 9/11 incident on their relaxed watch. Will that, too, be an "inherited" problem?

October 30, 2009 03:58 pm at 3:58 pm |

Paul

You go, Joe!

October 30, 2009 03:58 pm at 3:58 pm |

jack

Lets all show Cheney and the repukes how much we love them. In 2010 and 2012, no one in this country (except the wing nuts) should vote for a republican.

The party is dying and no matter how much complaining, holding up appointments, stalling on legislation or plane not offering ANY counter proposal beyond NO!, will win people back to a party that has been exposed for the graft and corruption that have been exposed by the Bush/Cheney years. You brought it upon yourselves.

Where does cheney hide the system that helps him stay alive? And where does he contact the emperor when he needs advice on who to attack next, for not attacking us?

October 30, 2009 03:59 pm at 3:59 pm |

Suzan

Your right Joe we don't care what Chaney thinks either........he should has to stand trial for Treason..........

October 30, 2009 04:01 pm at 4:01 pm |

John

Is anyone going to ask Obama why it took him 11 months (he won the election last November), to come to the realization that there was no plan for Afghanistan? Seems he has other priorities.

The only thing Obma inherited is the laziness that comes from bong smoking.

October 30, 2009 04:01 pm at 4:01 pm |

Ken from missouri

It's about time someone said the truth about dick cheney this guy sends his daughter to speak for him because he knows what people think about him and his daughter well just listen to her speak the acorn doe not fall very far from the tree.